Academies report surge in engagement with Blackpool businesses

Angela Kershaw, Blackpool Council’s head of business growth, has expressed the Growth Team’s delight at the early success of the two new business academies which launched in the Autumn of 2023.

Blackpool Growth Business Academy, funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, offers personalised support to businesses that are starting, growing and scaling, whilst the Blackpool Net Zero Business Academy provides personalised support to help businesses decarbonise. Both Academies have seen Blackpool business leaders seeking their tailored expertise and guidance to drive success and sustainability.

The Blackpool Net Zero Business Academy has received significant interest from a multitude of hospitality businesses in the resort. Many have arranged energy audits, particularly focusing on heating their venues during the current season, to ensure accuracy in their bills and receive guidance on implementable actions to enhance energy efficiency. This trend for fully funded energy audits has been duplicated in other sectors where businesses are keen to understand their carbon footprint and how they can reduce it.

A Blackpool-based business with aspirations to elevate its revenue from £1m to £3m has sought the expertise of the Blackpool Growth Business Academy. Recognising the need for a structured growth plan to complement its day-to-day operations, the business owners have engaged a scale-up coach to gain clarity on the next 6-12-24 months, with a focus on setting actionable targets and steps. Collaborating with an experienced scale-up specialist the company is undergoing the development of a comprehensive commercial plan to drive its growth.

Among the success stories emerging from the Blackpool Growth Business Academy is another local company with ambitious plans to scale its operations fivefold, from £1m to £5m. With a keen focus on optimising processes, leadership and team development, as well as a strategic emphasis on increasing ecommerce sales, this company is leveraging the support of the Academy to actualise its growth vision. Through a tailored growth action plan and the guidance of a trusted growth coach, the business is charting a course towards sustained expansion, catering to both B2B and B2C markets.

Commenting on the take-up of the Academies’ offerings, Angela Kershaw said: "We are delighted to see such strong engagement from the Blackpool business community for this fully funded support. The enthusiasm for sustainability and growth is extremely pleasing to witness. We’ve already engaged with a wide selection of businesses, with more planned in the coming months.

"We believe the enthusiasm and proactive engagement of Blackpool businesses with the Academies reflects the community's commitment to driving the sustainable growth and prosperity of Blackpool."

The academies are fully funded, helping qualifying businesses grow sustainably. Talk to Blackpool Unlimited about the support available to grow your business and take your net zero journey. Email [email protected] or call The Business Growth Team on 01253 477147.